Caitlyn Konradt '20

I chose to study integrated media arts because of its fluid and interdisciplinary nature. Students have the ability to pair IMA with other disciplines such as fine arts, communication, information technology, and more. It makes it possible to obtain knowledge and skills from diverse programs and put them together in a unique combination.

I was previously enrolled in a fine arts school which had a more limited perspective. It focused on only a small aspect of design topics, which I knew wasn’t going to help me reach my goal of working in the digital illustration field. When it was time to transfer, I searched for a college and a program that covered more topics than just illustration or design. That’s when I found Juniata College and the IMA program.

Once I discovered IMA, I chose to individualize my program of emphasis (POE) to Multimedia and Visual Arts instead of the traditional IMA designated POE. I want my studies to be relevant to my ideal career - visual development illustration or video game design. Therefore, I chose to combine digital art and fine art with computer science courses to personalize and ultimately individualize my POE.

By being allowed to individualize and work within multiple programs, it has made my dream of becoming a videogame designer possible. Being involved in the IMA Labs class working on branding projects for a community partner, in addition to learning proper editing skills in the video production course, has broadened my knowledge in digital design.

Taking computer science courses gives me the technical tools I need to go more in depth with video game technology. I will also be taking an animation course that will give me a taste of working with game design.

All of my experiences have been possible because Juniata College and the IMA program gave me the freedom and flexibility to design my education.